Heat

With a worldwide focus on reducing carbon emissions, heat projects such as district heat, biomass, ground and air source heat pumps, geothermal and solar thermal projects play an increasingly important role in the UK achieving its renewable energy targets. 

While opportunities for renewable sources of energy for heating are important to the energy sector, it’s a relatively new area, so expert legal advice can be crucial in helping businesses to navigate contractual and regulatory obstacles successfully.

Helping to empower and reassure communities regarding heat energy source and supply

Renewable heat is about much more than individual assets. District heat networks are recognised increasingly for the positive role they can play in empowering communities, and in establishing greater energy cost certainty and security for consumers.

With the current UK government rebalancing its economic priorities and with a consultation in progress on the regulation of district heat, local authorities and registered providers are developing schemes that can act as a catalyst for urban renewal and economic growth and increase the opportunity to meet net zero targets.

UK-wide expertise with the legal side of successful heat projects

We’ve worked on heat projects throughout the UK for local authorities, private developers, communities and technology providers, and have even published a heat whitepaper on the subject. Our energy and heat specialists advise on the full project lifecycle, from real estate to planning, to construction packages, and financing and operation.

Calling on related sector know-how from across the firm

To provide fully integrated legal and commercially minded support, we can draw on our expertise across the sectors to ensure you have the most talented people, skills and experience for your project. For example, we have in-house expertise in advising on district heat network schemes, fuel supply agreements, and the regulatory issues crucial to the success of renewable heat projects.

Our expertise in renewable heat projects includes:

• procurement and funding
• district heat contracts
  • supply agreements
  • connection agreements
  • ESCO set up
  • Sub station leases
• compliance with the Renewable Heat Incentive
• negotiating fuel supply agreements
• drafting and negotiating option and lease agreements
• construction contracts
• construction disputes.

Our experience includes:

• acting on all legal agreements for the Bristol City Council large scale district heat network
• acting on community scale ground source district heat networks
• acting on a large biomass district heating leased system for a commercial biomass supplier with a large manufacturer
• supply and installation contracts for a large estate for biomass
• review and advice on a district heating systems for a retrofit of a residential estate
• advising on ground source and air source heating systems for a housing association
• gas-to-grid anaerobic digestion
• district heating system advice for a community energy group supplying to a local authority
• advising on RHI accreditation and Ofgem eligibility.

Our clients include Bristol City Council, Kensa, BHESCo, Forest Fuels, Wood Heat Association, Coombe Raleigh Estate, Tregothnan Estate and a large number of housing associations and private developers.